


A nightmare, a dream and reality

by blue_nebulae



Series: Arya x Gendry Week 2019 [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dorks in Love, F/M, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Fluff, Gendrya - Freeform, Gendrya Week, Marriage, Romance, Sister-Sister Relationship, Sisters, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Wedding Drama, Wedding Fluff, Wedding Planning, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-19 20:14:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20215621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_nebulae/pseuds/blue_nebulae
Summary: Written for Arya x Gendry Week Day 2 : "Marry me now".Arya thought her wedding was supposed to be how she had wanted and dreamed off, but it became a nightmare and she just wished she could be married to Gendry already.





	A nightmare, a dream and reality

“Arya, why do you have the need to make everything so difficult?” Arya’s mother complained “It is your wedding!”

“is it?” Arya growled, she couldn’t contain the anger within her, not when she had been so patient “It was my wedding when it was a small and intimate affair, it stopped being my wedding when all of you decided to make it a statement, a circus show”

“Arya, we just wanted you to…”

“Don’t even start” Arya growled, pointing a finger to her sister Sansa “You just wanted another big socialite party! You couldn’t even do the one thing I asked…”

“But I did make your wedding gown…” Sansa tried to defend herself and Arya could only scoff.

“Really? You call this” she pointed towards the giant and pompous wedding gown “the simple wedding dress I asked you to design for me? The one I specifically told you that I wanted it to be light?! Not this hundred-pound monstrosity?”

For once Sansa was quiet, as if she was realizing what she had done “I thought… I saw… as the wedding was… I…”

“I wanted a small, intimate wedding here at home. Just us, my close friends and Gendry’s family and no one else! but you, both of you, had to make a show out of everything and turned my day into this horrible circus show. I… I can’t do this anymore” she turned to leave.

“Arya! Where are you going?” Her mother asked and she didn’t even answer, she kept on walking, leaving that room that had become Sansa’s workshop and she just needed to leave the house to calm herself.

She was out of the house, walking across the gardens when she saw Gendry and Jon coming her way chatting happily until they saw her and their faces dropped.

“Whoa, whoa what’s wrong?” Gendry asked her, stopping her from walking by standing in front of her, holding her arms and looking for her eyes. She wanted nothing more than bury her face against him and for him to hold her until she calmed herself.

“Nothing, I just need some air” she said as she shook herself out of Gendry’s hold. His eyes changed and she could see him scowling but she didn’t want to talk right now so she kept on walking until she was out of the gardens and getting into the forest, making her way to the small pond. It used to be the place where the old gods, according to the northern folklore, resided.

It was cold, but the warmth and steam coming from the pond made it manageable. She just sat on the giant rocks and stayed there. She needed air, time alone and to get her mind out of everything that had gone wrong.

She felt like crying, she hadn’t meant to be so mean to Sansa but she was so blindsided but what had been going on. She had been stupid, assuming that she could go without being involved in the tedious planning that involved a wedding and letting her mother and sister to plan it all. She should have seen it coming, she had being so stupid.

She stayed there, just trying to calm herself and not bothering about the cold for she didn’t know how long. It wasn’t until she heard a branch breaking close to her that she was brought out of her thoughts to notice Gendry was there. She hadn’t heard him coming and that could only mean she was lost in thought because Gendry couldn’t be stealth even if his life depended on it.

“How are you doing?” he asked her softly, sitting next to her and she turned to embrace him. He was so big and warm, she buried against his body she felt calm.

“Better. I just… it all hit me so fast and I ended up yelling at Sansa and stormed off”

“What happened?” his voice was soft.

“I knew I didn’t know how to plan this so I let them do it. They knew I wanted a small wedding but they ended up making It a statement, not caring what I wanted. Which could’ve been fine, I wouldn’t have minded if they had just kept something simple, you know? Something, just one thing! I could have pretended for my mom’s stupid pictures and all but… when I saw the dress! Gendry, it was huge and I couldn’t handle it! I wanted it simple, light because you know I hate those big gowns”

“You’d look nice in one of them, but you wouldn’t have been comfortable” Gendry knew her so well.

“Yeah, I saw it and it was so big and pompous and I know now that Sansa was like making what she believed to be the perfect wedding dress out of a fairy tale and shit. I shouldn’t have yelled at her but I was so mad at my mom at everything that had gone out of control”.

“I don’t think Sansa is mad at you, though nor your mom really, well she may be a bit mad but she’ll get over it” Gendry shifted to engulf her “I talked to them, I don’t think your mother likes me very much right now, but I think I got your point across”

She pulled apart a little “What did you do?”

He shrugged “I went to ask what had happened and Sansa didn’t say anything. Your mother complained and I said that if you weren’t happy then there wasn’t going to be a wedding in two weeks”

“You did not!” she said surprised and giggled a bit at the thought of it.

“I did! I went there and told them that if they kept it up then it was over. I wouldn’t tolerate you being upset on your day. Jon backed me up and Robb had just gotten here and heard the whole thing and now both of them are there arguing with your mother and I heard Robb saying that if your mother kept things up then you’d probably not show up and that I wouldn’t even be mad because I’d know why you didn’t show up to our own wedding. Sansa was upset, but I think she was upset at herself more than anything. I really think she may have been thinking that she was making your dream wedding come true”.

“Yeah, I think so too” she sighed.

“I wish my dad was here” she leaned into Gendry again, him hugging her because he knew how she got when she talked about her father “He wouldn’t have let them get out of control, he would have had my back” she parted again “like you do” she kissed him softly.

“From what I’ve heard, my dad would’ve made it even bigger by like four times than what your mom and Sansa made this whole affair”

She chuckled “Yeah, Robert would’ve made it a national affair and not even my dad would have been able to refuse him. Robert always convinced him in the end”.

They spent some time there, him waiting for her to calm down until she was ready to get back into the madness of the wedding planning.

“It is so exhausting. I wish we could be married already, leave this whole shit behind and just be happy and don’t care about it anymore”

“That would be perfect, wouldn’t it? he said as if he had a sudden realization.

“Yeah…” she turned to look at him, his eyes held certain determination and she wondered what was he thinking but he seemed to get out of his thoughts and smiled at her before kissing her and looking back to the pond.

“Let’s stay for a bit” she said, leaning more against Gendry and enjoying his warmth.

“As m’lady commands”

* * *

The sun had already set by the time they returned, she planned on going to her room for the night. For some reason, her mother had the rule of couples staying in different rooms while not married every time they were at Winterfell. So far only Robb could stay with Jeyne since they were already married.

Gendry was staying by the pool house with Jon, Ygritte using Jon’s room. It didn’t mean that Ygritte didn’t sneak out to the pool house to be with Jon. It also didn’t mean that she hadn’t stay with Gendry most nights in her room.

“See you later” she said to Gendry as she went inside.

“Hey” he called after her before she entered the manor “I’m going to make this alright, okay?” he was trying to calm her, to stop her from going batshit crazy during this whole wedding ordeal.

“I know” she kissed him, losing herself in him for a second before parting and getting inside her house, trying not to run into anyone since the house was more crowded than usual with Gendry’s siblings having arrived for the wedding. She just wanted a hot bath and some sleep.

* * *

She didn’t know what time it was; she had fallen asleep waiting for Gendry.

“Hey” she felt the bed shift as he laid down next to her “Arya” he kissed her and caressed her hair to wake her up.

“uhmmm” she turned, opening her eyes. It was still dark, no trace of light entering through her curtains “what happened? What time is it?”

He chuckled softly “Very late or early I don’t really know. We stayed up all night and the sun hasn’t risen yet, still a couple of hours”

“What? Why did you…? Has something happened?”

“No. I mean something is going to happen, hopefully. I didn’t want you to be upset nor stressed out and I wanted make things perfect for you” his voice was soft and she was fully awake now.

“What things?” she raised herself up, supporting her weight with her elbow.

“I know you were freaking out, so I came up with an idea” he said, looking her in the eye, caressing her cheek with his hand.

“Arya” his voice was serious “Marry me now” it wasn’t a command nor an order, Gendry was making her an offer for her to take.

“What are you talking about?” she whispered

“Why don’t we get married now? Just us, here in these sacred godswood like the old customs from the north, the ones you told me about the first time I came here” Arya looked at him, it was a weird and crazy idea.

“Think about it. Everyone we want in our wedding; the people we truly want is here. This will be our ceremony, our wedding date and what you wanted it to be, not the show and big event it has become. What do you say?”

She kept quiet for a moment, analyzing his offer and it was perfect. She wanted to get married by the woods, with her family and Gendry. To exchange her bows by the weirdwood tree in the godswood. This was perfect.

“Let’s do it” it was all she really wanted. The small intimate ceremony, not the whole wedding extravaganza her mother had arranged.

Gendry smiled before kissing her, cupping her face and she could feel his smile.

“I’ll see you in a bit” he kissed her “We need to get ready”. Gendry kissed her again before exiting her room, leaving the door open for someone to get in and turn on the lights.

Arya was sitting on her bed when Sansa came in, closing the door and carrying something in her arms. What seemed like a coat, two pair of shoes and a garment bag. She was wearing a light pink dress, barefoot and her hair braided.

“Hey” Sansa said softly, biting her lip in nervousness.

“Hey” why was Sansa up at this hour? Was she part of it?

“I…” Sansa walked towards the bed, not before hanging to the back of the door the garment bag she had carried “I want to say that I am sorry, Arya”

“Sansa… don’t. i…” Sansa may have gone over the top but she had overreacted.

“No, I have to apologize. I got carried away. I really thought that if I made you the most beautiful and dashing wedding you’ll be happy and I was wrong because your idea of a beautiful wedding was simplicity and mine was the big and pompous event and I couldn’t see that. You asked for something simple and intimate and I should’ve respected that and make mom respect that. I am sorry, you had every reason to burn that dress because it is not you!”.

“I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have lashed out on you. I should’ve been more involved in all the planning, not letting you and mom to do it all. It is my fault too. If I had been there during the planning I would’ve voiced my thoughts but I was lazy and…”

“You did nothing wrong, you trusted us and we didn’t listen to your wishes. I was sketching a new dress to make for you, one simple when Gendry showed up last night and told me what he was planning to do for you and I knew I had to help him and I knew exactly how”.

Arya had already gotten out of bed as Sansa was opening the garment bag “I had made this for you to change after the ceremony, so you’ll be more comfortable at the reception, after the wedding pictures” she pulled out something white and turned for her to look at it.

“It is a wedding jumpsuit. It actually looks like a dress when your legs are close, but it is not. I thought that the dress was big and brides now tend to change their gowns during weddings multiple times and I thought this could be more for the reception” Sansa said “It is far more comfortable than a dress and more you, and I hope you can wear it tonight”

Arya looked at the jumpsuit, it was beautiful. A halter neckline, tight at the upper body and wide at the legs, the fabric was soft and flowy and it almost looked like the dress she wanted in the first place with the sweep train illusion the wide legs made. It was backless until it reached the waist and then it flared down. IT was the most beautiful wedding gown she had ever seen.

“It is beautiful” she whispered in awe and Sansa smiled and let out a breath she was holding.

“You need to get ready, I’ll be leaving”.

“Can you help me get ready?” she asked her sister in a rush. She wanted Sansa to be there as she was getting ready for the most important day of her life.

* * *

She was walking down the stairs, Sansa had given her the tallest and most comfortable shoes she could have ever dreamed off, she was wearing the most beautiful gown she could have ever imagined and she was happy.

Sansa had helped her by braiding her hair in the messy way she liked and done her make up in a simple way, just some mascara, the littlest bit of highlighter and a coral peachy pink lip gloss.

She didn’t think she could’ve imagined the most perfect way to look at her own wedding.

Jon was waiting her by the end of the stairs. Sansa smiled as she passed by him and made her way into the godswood.

“Hey” Jon smiled at the sight of her.

“Hey”

“You look beautiful” Arya felt herself blushing at Jon’s words but her smiled told him how much they meant to her.

He offered her his arm and she took it. He was dressed in black, in a suit with messy hair and looking happy for her.

They made their way to the woods and she noticed the tray of white candles that marked the way. The sun still hadn’t risen and it was still dark, but the candles guided them and illuminated everything just right.

“When Gendry showed up telling me you were getting married tonight I almost punched him thinking you were eloping. But then he explained and it reminded me of why I think he is the only guy who could ever deserve you” Jon laughed softly.

“Everyone immediately signed up to help. We spent the night making everything we could to make this special, the girls were decorating and Ygritte brought benches to the woods somehow and did you know Theon has the ability to buy a thousand candles in the middle of the night?” she chuckled at the thought. Theon, her almost brother, always managed to make things happen somehow.

“Catelyn trimmed her entire rose garden for this, it wont’s look pretty for a while, there are no roses left yet I think she still plans the now unofficial ceremony to go on still” she chuckled. Her mother adored her rose garden, it was massive and she had been taking extra care of it for the wedding because she wanted it to look nice in the pictures and for the press to be impressed by the property.

“I was jealous of Robb for being the one to walk you down the aisle but this feels more right” he turned to look at her “I want you to be happy”.

Before entering the clearing, Catelyn was waiting for her. Her mother looked beautiful in a simple black dress, she had her coat on, unlike Arya herself, because it was freezing but it didn’t matter to Arya in the least.

“You look beautiful, Arya” Catelyn walked to her, kissing her head and giving her a bouquet of winter roses, she was sure her mother had used her precious winter roses, the ones that were the hardest to grow and maintain to make the most beautiful bouquet. It was simple, rustic and just held by some white lacey ribbon. Her father loved winter roses, that was why her mother started growing them after he passed away.

“I’m sorry for everything, Arya. I think your dad would be proud of what Gendry has done to make you happy tonight. This, what you wanted is more important and I’m sorry I didn’t see it sooner” she was feeling like she was about to cry, but she held it together “I love you, sweetheart”.

“I love you, mom” Catelyn smiled, cupped her face and turned to make her way to the clearing.

“Ready?” Jon asked her and she nodded as they made their way.

* * *

She felt her breath hitch.

The clearing by the heart tree had been arranged to look like something out of a fairy tale. It was still kind of dark as he sun wasn’t going to rise yet, but there was already that blueish hue that came up before it did. There were white candles everywhere and someone had hanged fairy lights making a curtain on the tree branches, the red leaves and lights creating a magical effect. There were rose petals on the ground and with the light from the lights and the candles making everything look like something out of a fairy tale.

Her brother Bran was in front of the tree, she assumed he was, as he knew how, the one to officiate the ceremony in the old northern customs. Her mother and Sansa were smiling with teary eyes. Rickon and Robb were there, all dressed up with their red curls wild and free, Jeyne next to Robb, Theon and Ygritte with flowers in her hair. Her family.

On the other side she saw Bella, Mya and Edric with their blue Baratheon eyes glinting with excitement. Even Davos, Gendry’s foster father, had somehow managed to be here! He must have arrived in the middle of the night, just before everything happened.

And waiting for her, with the most beautiful smile was Gendry. At the center of everything, his mahogany hair messy and wearing a suit and a winter rose in his pocket.

Jon walked her until they got to Gendry, she stood in front of him and smiled. He was looking at her as if she was the most beautiful human in the world and with him looking at her in that way, she truly felt like she was.

Bran officiated their improvised ceremony, she came before the gods to be wed to the man she had loved her entire life. They knelt, prayed and kissed before the gods and her family.

They were married. and somehow this was even better than her dreams.

**Author's Note:**

> I made it to day two!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this, I quite like how this came out.
> 
> Please, comment and like if you enjoyed this. Reading your comments makes me very happy.
> 
> You can find me as blue-nebulae on tumblr!


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